Riotous, hilarious great night out as Shakespeare goes pop at Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre

While the Royal Shakespeare Company thinks a gender-swapped Taming of the Shrew is progressively daring – Lane and Godber shamelessly chuck away the shackles and say let’s have a party.

The names are the same, the plot’s premise of mismatched twins causing confusion is the same, the themes are the same and some of Shakespeare’s rhyming-couplet script survives. But into it is inserted contemporary speech.

The setting is changed from 16th century Syracuse to 1980s Scarborough. Pop hits punctuate the action and the heroes and heroines wear Cure T-shirts, shiny shell suits, dungarees and cheerleaders’ outfits.

Since when has Ken Dodd, Stan Boardman, The A-Team and Mr T’s jewellery been terms of reference in the theatre of Elizabeth I? Or have song sheets – ala Smash Hits – been draped over your seat to make sure you can join in Uptown Girl, I Wanna Dance with Somebody, Footloose and many more?

The Comedy of Errors (more or less) is a co-production between Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre and Prescot’s Shakespeare North Playhouse in Lancashire.

There are hints of War of the Roses and modern politics of ‘levelling up’ as the play opens during a trade war between Scarborough and Prescot.

Into the maelstrom strolls Antipholus – an actor from Lancashire who is accompanied by his best mate Dromio. He intends to perform his one-man show at the arts centre.

Trouble is, there's no audience – everyone’s booked for Search for a Star-borough at the Spa which his twin brother, Antipholus, also an actor, is expected to win. His best mate also looks exactly like Dromio.

To detail the plot or reveal the jokes, costumes and props would be to ruin the night out for anyone who has yet to revel in the riotous, joyous, utterly bonkers, clever, chaotic, frenetically farcical and manically musical night out.

The cast of seven actors works their leg warmers off. David Kirkbride and Oliver Mawdsley double up as Antipholus and Dromio, respectively.

The women have far more to do than in the Bard’s day. They are the driving force of Lane and Godber’s dissection of marriage, relationships, friendships, love and togetherness and their interaction gives the piece real heart and soul.

Alyce Liburd plays the Scarborough Antipholus’ wife Adriana and Ida Regan her sister. The wonderful Claire Eden – familiar to Stephen Joseph audiences from Muddy Cows and Stepping Out – plays Antipholus’ mum.

Valerie Antwi gets a glorious cameo as Ann Court, the ambitious anchorwoman for Look North. Scarborough actor Andy Cryer is the one who gets to show off in the most diverse of roles – from the robed, pompous Scarborough mayor Duke Solinus to the shell suit-clad shady streetwise crook … and many more. It’s too confusing to explain.

All the cast play narrators, backing singers and dancers – and all of them can belt out a tune. Director Paul Robinson never looses control of the action.

The cast deservedly earned a standing ovation on opening night. Whatever else The Comedy of Errors (more or less) is, it’s a great, joyous night out.

It runs at the Stephen Joseph Theatre until Saturday April 15. Tickets on 01723 370541 and at www.sjt.uk.com